


A COVID Inauguration

by Lil_leels



Series: Rizzles in COVID Quarantine [4]
Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F, Kamala Harris is queen, Madam Vice President, Michelle Obama's outfit, Presidential Inauguration, finally a new year, political coups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28891392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lil_leels/pseuds/Lil_leels
Summary: Jane and Maura deal with the stress of a political coup days before the inauguration of the new President.Really... this was just my way to deal with political upheaval but if you squint real hard there's kind of a plot from the other COVID posts.
Relationships: Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli
Series: Rizzles in COVID Quarantine [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073420
Comments: 40
Kudos: 70





	1. January 6th

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 Trigger Warning: political coups. 
> 
> Frost and Susie are alive but Korsack is retired. Nina is still a part of the story. Why? Because this is my story and that's what I wanted to write.

BPD goes on high alert as news of the insurrection at the Capitol plays out on every screen in BPD. Jane watches with feelings of horror and abject disgust as people hosting confederate flags, nooses, crosses, and Nazi insignia’s bull rush the police at the capitol. She watches as the fences fall and the crowds surge forward. Angry unmasked faces of mostly white men with duck dynasty beards surge, breaking glass doors and filing quickly into the halls of congress. Jane shakes her head, making a bee line for the elevator. Jane is confident of two things. The first was that she could do nothing about this political coup from her place in Boston at the moment. The second was that Maura was undoubtedly having a panic attack about all those unmasked people crowding tightly together in that super spreader event. The elevator doors open to a flurry of movement in the labs. 

Susie is directing traffic as the techs run around her moving equipment and setting up extra evidence tables. Jane steps quietly up to her left, ‘what’s going on?’ 

‘We’re preparing for mass casualties,’ Susie says, her voice is harsh, her lips stretched thin. Jane had never seen her so stressed. Jane sighs heavily and claps her shoulder in camaraderie. 

‘Where is she?’ Jane asks when she’d conveyed her solidarity. 

‘Autopsy.’ Susie says it matter of factly. ‘Trying to make room.’ 

Jane sighs sadly, she walks towards autopsy. She pauses to switch masks to the higher filter mask, a requirement in the age of COVID. She slips on a gown and glove, an overly cautious but still necessary measure for anyone handling potentially infected bodies. Jane pushes through the doors to find Maura struggling to push a body back into cold storage. ‘Need help with that?’ Jane asks, walking over and helping to push. 

Maura is in full protective gear. Robes, gloves, mask, face shield. The only thing more protective would have been a biohazard suit. Jane wasn’t sure Maura shouldn’t be wearing a biohazard suit. Jane kind of wished she would. Especially around her living patients. ‘Thanks,’ Maura pants as the body finally slides in, ‘I think one of the wheels broke. They’ve seen too much use lately.’ Maura closes the door to the locker before turning to look at Jane. ‘You have not been called out, have you?’ 

Jane shakes her head, ‘not yet. The protest here is still under control.’ 

‘But you could be?’ Maura asks, her eyebrows drawing together in obvious concern 

‘If it gets bad, yeah,’ Jane says with a sigh, ‘you’ve been ordered to prepare for mass casualties?’ 

‘I ordered it,’ Maura admits. Jane studies the few unobstructed facial features she can see. ‘They are calling in the national guard. If things go poorly at the capitol? We could be called on for the overflow. Not to mention what could happen here with our own protests.’ Maura shakes her head sadly, ‘at this point we may not even revert back. The pandemic has us at the breaking point anyways.’ Maura gestures to the wall of cold storage besides them, ‘we have two left. They are coming in faster than I can autopsy.’ 

Jane wishes, not for the first time, she could wrap Maura in a hug. Hold her tight and protect her against the chaos of the world. ‘What happens when you run out of space?’ 

Maura shakes her head sadly, ‘the county has commandeered the use of refrigerated trucks. So,’ Maura hesitates and Jane can hear the disgust in her voice even if she can’t see it on her face, ‘we start stacking.’ Jane makes a face, imagining piles of bodies stacked up unceremoniously in some ice cream truck. ‘This insurrection will not help.’ Maura gestures at the muted screen playing the events at the capitol. ‘This will be a super spreader event Jane. There will be a body count for this. They may not die today but people will die.’ 

‘And you’ll have to store and autopsy them,’ Jane says sadly. She reaches out and squeezes Maura’s gloved hand with her own. 

Maura nods blinking away tears. ‘Autopsies do not usually bother me but there is just so much death right now,’ Maura says it softly, as though she were confessing to her priest, ‘and being a doctor to the living is hardly any better.’ 

‘Hey,’ Jane says, tugging Maura into her body, PPE be damned. ‘this is really hard stuff. It’s okay to hate your job right now. I sure do.’ 

Maura chuckles, her breath fogging up her face shield. ‘I hate yours right now too,’ Maura admits when she tugs away, her face drawn toward the television screen. ‘Promise you will tell me if you are dispatched?’

‘I will,’ Jane says in affirmation, ‘in the meantime is there anything I can do to help?’ 

Maura shakes her head, ‘short of arresting every maskless person in Massachusetts? No.’ 

Jane grits her teeth, ‘I could do that, you know. Maybe not _arrest_ them but I can fine them.’ 

Maura laughs again, her face temporarily obscured behind her shield. ‘That would be nice.’ Maura pats Jane’s arm before walking off. Jane looks at the television screen once more. Maybe she couldn’t do anything for this coup and maybe she couldn’t do anything for Maura but there was something she could do. 

Jane disposes of her protective gear outside of the doors, she sanitises her hands and puts on a new mask. Jane waves at Susie on the way out who is checking things off on a clipboard. At her desk, Jane dons her BPD vest, grabs her gun and her badge. 

‘Did we get a call?’ Frost asks his voice obscured by his mask. 

‘Nope,’ Jane says slamming her drawer shut. 

‘Okay,’ Frost says, gathering his things. Frankie and Nina are moving too. ‘But we are going somewhere.’ 

’Nope,’ Jane says, grabbing her citations booklet and her handcuffs from the other drawer, ‘just me.’ 

‘Uh not if you think it’s going to require you wearing a vest you aren’t,’ Frost says. Frankie and Nina sound their agreement too. 

Jane glares at the three of them. She wished Korsack hadn't retired. He would let her go blow off some steam. ‘Fine,’ Jane says, ‘but bring your citation books.’ 

Frankie and Frost raise their eyebrows at each other, Nina merely shrugs and grabs hers. Jane doesn’t wait for them, not that it matters. They catch up to her even before the elevator arrives. ‘So,’ Frankie ventures, ‘where we going?’ 

‘Out,’ Jane says grumpily. 

‘Okay,’ Frankie says going quiet. 

‘You’re finally going to do it, aren’t you?’ Nina asks, there’s a glimmer in her eyes. 

‘Do what?’ Frost and Frankie ask together. 

‘Jane is finally going to exact her revenge on the maskless fools who are putting Maura at risk,’ Nina says with a smirk. ‘You lasted longer than I expected.’ 

‘What does Maura’s safety, masks and Jane have to do with each other?’ Frankie asks, looking confused. Nina laughs and shakes her head but doesn’t reply. Frankie looks at Jane but quickly decides his chances are better with Frost. 

‘She’s a doctor,’ Frost says patiently, ‘if any of us was going to get it, it’d be her. Plus she autopsies the infected all day long.’ 

‘Oh,’ Frankie says, ‘well yeah.’ Frankie frowns, ‘but why does Jane care so much about it?’ Jane doesn’t have an answer for that. Frost and Nina exchange a knowing look but neither one of them makes a comment. 

When they hit the street, Jane grunts ‘split up.’ 

‘Let’s go in pairs,’ Frost counters. Jane ignores the comment but she doesn’t send Frost away when he jogs after her. ‘So got a particular citation we’re going with?’ 

‘Being general stains on humanity doesn’t cut it for you?’ Jane asks snarkily. 

Frost shrugs, ‘I’m just saying we want this to hold up in court. We want them to pay, right?’ 

Jane sighs. She pauses, considering her options. ’The governor’s orders allow us to give them a civil fine. If they make a scene then up it to civil disobedience.’ 

‘Right,’ Frost says. He spots the first maskless soul. ‘After you, then.’ Jane strides over, all purpose and confidence. The person sheepishly tugs out a mask and fastens it to their face before accepting the citation. 

They spend the next few hours patrolling the streets on foot, writing citation after citation. Most people sheepishly apologise and tug on the mask. A few try to rant in Jane’s face but quickly stop when she ups the fine. One tries to take a swing at her but Jane has him cuffed and harmless before Frost has time to react. They handed him over to a nearby patrol for the assault of a police officer and continued issuing citations until both of their booklets were empty. Then they join Frankie and Nina to finish off their booklets. 

Jane sweeps into Maura’s office as the sun is setting. The coup was mostly over and the risk of mass casualties had passed. Most of the lab staff had left, the rooms were dark and quiet. Maura sat at her desk staring at the news. Jane closes the door behind her, ‘Hey you.’ 

Maura turns to Jane with a smile, ‘hello Jane.’ 

‘I have a present for you,’ Jane says setting the four booklets in front of Maura. 

‘What is this?’ Maura picks up the first, ‘a citation book?’ 

‘We never got called in but,’ Jane shuffles her feet nervously, ‘Me, Frankie, Frost and Holiday emptied our citation booklets.’ 

‘Whatever for?’ Maura asks perplexed, ‘Detectives don’t usually issue citations, do they?’ 

‘No we don’t,’ Jane says, ‘this was a special case. You can see the reason written right there.’ Jane points to the line on the booklet. 

‘Violation of mask mandates,’ Maura murmurs reading Jane’s written reason. Maura flips through the booklet, reading it over and over. When she had finished that, Maura looked at the others too. Her eyes began welling up with tears. 

‘We probably didn’t get every maskless person in Boston but we tried Maur,’ Jane whispers her voice cracking with emotion. 

‘Would it be odd for me to say,’ Maura says headily, ‘that these tickets are the nicest thing you have ever given me?’ 

‘Nope,’ Jane says, enunciating the pop of her ‘p’ in nope. She grabs the citation booklets, to be filed in the morning. ‘Now, are you ready to go home? We can order in and watch the news from your couch.’ 

Maura smiles, ‘yes. Can we get something with carbs?’ 

Jane laughs, ‘like pizza?’ 

‘Or burgers!’ Maura says happily as she begins gathering her things. Maura hits the lights in her office and locks the door. ‘And Jane?’ 

‘Yeah?’ Jane asks, looking at Maura with care. 

‘How about we keep the news off?’ Maura asks softly. 

‘You sure?’ Jane asks, ‘don’t you want to make sure our duly elected official is actually, you know, elected?’ 

‘No,’ Maura says softly, ‘tonight I think we try to hold on to our faith in our democracy.’ 

Jane shrugs, ‘seems sus to me but okay.’ 

‘Sus?’ Maura asks, quirking an eyebrow as they wait for the elevator. 

‘Suspicious. It’s from some spy game Frankie, Frost and Holiday play,’ Jane replies, a sparkle in her eyes. ‘It’s called Among Us or something and someone is always an imposter.’ 

‘That sounds fun. I did not realise they played a spy game together,’ Maura replies. ‘Perhaps we should play together.’ 

Jane grins at Maura, ’says the woman who can’t lie without bursting into hives.’ 

‘Oh,’ Maura says, her face falling, ‘well perhaps I could be on your team then.’ The elevator opens with a ding. 

’I don’t think there are teams in this game Maura,’ Jane says as she hits the button for the ground floor. 

‘Of course there are. I am always on your team Jane,’ Maura says cheerily as the elevator doors close on the darkened lab in disarray from the day's events. 


	2. January 19th/20th

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michelle Obama is a goddess and Kamala Harris is a queen. Thems the rules.

_January 19th_

400,000 deaths. It was an astronomical figure. 13,749 of those deaths had been in her state. Her jurisdiction. Maura hadn’t felt so defeated at work since she had been the assistant medical examiner working at the twin towers in New York on September 11th. Maura had thought then that she hoped to never see so many bodies in one place again. In Massachusetts alone, Maura had lost four times as many people in the last year. Maura finished her last autopsy of the day as President Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as they attended a lighting ceremony at the reflection pool. Maura has to step away from the body to keep her tears from contaminating it. 

It was such a simple thing. A national acknowledgement of the crisis and it’s devastating toll in America. A public display of grief and loss. Maura had no idea how much she had missed such a commonplace scene in the last four years. Maura pulls herself together enough to finish stitching her incision before putting the body away. Maura turns off the lights in the morgue, disposes of her protective gear, washes up and dons a new mask. The labs are dark, most of the staff gone for the day. Maura gathers her things from the office and heads home where she knows Jane will be. No matter what Maura said or how late Maura worked, Jane always waited up for her. Maura knew Jane worried for her. Knew that the last nine months working with the virus had set the detective on edge. It was as if Jane needed to see Maura just to be sure Maura was truly alright. Maura didn’t have the heart to remind Jane that she wouldn’t be able to tell for days if Maura was infected. That by the time Maura looked ill, the virus would have infiltrated Maura’s immune system. Maura shivered, feeling suddenly as though she were walking through a petri dish. 

Jane is half asleep on the couch, news playing in the background. Maura slips off her shoes just inside the door before beginning the disrobing and disinfecting process she had perfected over the last nine months. When, at last, she is in fresh clothing and rid of the feeling of being haunted by the virus, Maura lays down beside Jane. Jane lifts the blanket she is under, making space for Maura with a sleep rough voice she greets Maura, ‘hey you.’ 

‘Hey,’ Maura whispers snuggling in closer to Jane. She closes her eyes, feeling the weight of her day falling off of her in increments. 

‘Long day?’ Jane murmurs her fingers intertwining with Maura’s in a show of support. 

’No more than they all are,’ Maura whispers back. 

‘So that’s a yes,’ Jane retorts smartly. ‘Did you eat anything?’ 

As if on cue, Maura’s stomach rumbles, ‘not since lunch.’ 

‘Let me get you some dinner,’ Jane murmurs moving to get up. 

Maura is tempted to tug her back into place. To hold her a little while longer. ‘That would be lovely,’ Maura says instead. She moves so Jane can get around her. ‘Thank you Jane.’ 

‘You betcha,’ Jane says as she moves into the kitchen, ‘how are you feeling about tomorrow?’ Jane asks, raising her voice slightly so Maura can hear her. 

‘Anxious?’ Maura replies, ‘excited? I am not certain there’s a word to describe it.’ 

‘Yeah,’ Jane says, her head popping out from behind the fridge, ‘I feel ya. Still want to watch it together in your office?’ 

‘Yes,’ Maura replies combing her fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp, ‘that sounds perfect.’ 

Jane brings her a chicken salad, a glass of red wine and a glass of water. They sit together, discussing their day and generally debriefing from their jobs until Maura is done. Then they go to bed, not certain as to what tomorrow would bring but hoping against hope that peace would prevail.

_January 20th_

The next morning finds Maura on the couch beside Jane. Her nails are digging into Jane’s forearm. ‘Jane!’ Maura says with enough urgency to make the Detectives head whip up. _‘That outfit’_ Maura whispers in awe as Michelle Obama appears in a beautiful plum outfit that was jaw dropping. 

Jane narrows her eyes at the screen. Even Jane can’t seem to find something bad to say about Michelle Obama’s look, ‘she looks great. And comfortable.’ Of course that would be what Jane noticed. Maura wants to weep looking at her. Or to do a deep dive through her fashion contacts and find a replica. Perhaps both. 

They watch the other past presidents and their wives arrive, the foreboding feeling of an impending assassination mostly settling into the back of Maura’s mind. The normalcy of the day helped to make Maura feel secure as she watched. She and Jane both cheer when Officer Eugene Goodman is announced, escorting the Vice President Elect. Jane is shifting restlessly by the time the ceremony starts with a flurry of snow. 

Jane makes a face when Lady Gaga appears which makes Maura laugh, ‘what?’ 

Jane wrinkles her nose, ’that pin is giant.’ 

‘It looks like,’ Maura begins leaning in to stare at the gilded bird, ‘a dove. They typically symbolise peace. She is likely alluding to the peaceful transfer of power.’ 

‘That,’ Jane says sarcastically, ‘is not an allusion Maura. That is a giant golden bird punch to the face.’ 

Maura laughs, ‘well it is Lady Gaga.’ 

Jane cuts herself off from further critique as the woman begins to sing the national anthem. Maura pretends not to notice as Jane wipes away some tears. At her heart, Jane was a true patriot. Maura loved that Jane still cried at the national anthem. 

They watch in awed silence as Kamala Harris is sworn in, feeling the mutual weight of having been the first women in their fields. Their hands link in a shared acknowledgement of the unique struggles she would face. Then JLo is walking out and Maura decides she wants this outfit too. She didn’t have any idea where she would wear it but she loved it none the less. The white, the sparkles, the big golden buttons, the ruffles. Maura loved it. Then she started singing. Maura felt her eyes water as this beautiful Latina woman claiming her space and place in America. Maura wipes away tears just as Jane had for the anthem. Jane makes no comments or further recognition of those tears beyond squeezing her hand. 

When Amanda Gorman reads her poem, Jane and Maura both cry freely and openly. And then the clouds break, the sun beats down and Jane and Maura breath a palpable sigh of relief as the new President and Madam Vice President exit the stage. 

‘God,’ Jane says sounding pumped, ‘I didn’t know how excited I could be to watch something so normal.’ 

‘That was hardly normal, Jane,’ Maura chides, her thoughts on the plexiglass dividers, the spaced out chairs, the thousands of flags instead of citizens, and of course, the person whose job it was to disinfect the podium between every speaker. 

‘Well, sure,’ Jane says with a roguish grin, ‘but it wasn’t Donald Trump’s own Reality TV Show either.’ 

‘Do not,’ Maura says holding up a hand in protest. 

‘What?’ Jane asks, her eyes twinkling. 

‘We do not say that name. We do not acknowledge that man. He is out of our lives, out of our government and we are never ever talking about that incompetent roi de cons again.’ Maura means every word she says. There were a multitude of reasons Maura hated the _former_ president but she could not and would not ever forgive him for his governments utter lack of response to a pandemic and then the dismal roll out of a vaccine to that pandemic. She held that man personally responsible for every one of those 400,000 deaths. For all 13,749 of the COVID deaths in Massachusetts. It didn’t have to be this way. 

Jane is laughing at her, ‘what did you call him? Orange corn?’ 

‘Roi de cons,’ Maura says in perfect French. ‘It translates to King of Idiots.’ 

‘Well, _that’s_ fitting,’ Jane says with another laugh. Maura laughs too, the strange dark orange cloud of the last four years finally fading. It takes them a few minutes to pull themselves together. 

‘So,’ Jane asks, ‘do you have any plans for tonight?’ 

Maura considers it, ‘nothing in particular, why?’ 

‘I was thinking,’ Jane says with a light blush, ‘maybe we could officially ring in the New Year together tonight.’ 

‘But,’ Maura says looking at Jane in confusion, ‘it isn’t New Years?’ 

‘Yeah but it sorta feels like one, doesn’t it?’ Jane asks. 

Maura had to admit that it did, ‘I suppose time is just a social construct. There are a number of different annual passing celebrations throughout the year. There’s the Lunar New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Songkran.’ 

‘So is that a yes?’ Jane asks, her tone is teasing but she also sounds nervous. 

‘Sure, Jane. I would love to celebrate a New Year with you,’ Maura says with a bright smile, ‘should I grab anything on the way home?’ 

‘Nope,’ Jane says standing quickly. She clips her badge and gun into place before heading for the door, ‘just bring yourself. I’ll take care of the rest!’ 

Maura barely has time to wave goodbye before the woman has disappeared out of her door. Maura shakes her head and begins resetting her office. 

The rest of the day passes in a blur of paperwork and autopsies. Maura is grateful when it is time to call it a day. She drives herself home, letting herself in to find the table set, candles burning and music playing softly. 

‘Hey,’ Jane calls from the kitchen, ‘dinner will be ready soon. Feel free to wash up! I’ve got this.’ 

Maura blinks back tears but does as Jane suggests. She comes out to a fully set table and a smiling Jane. ‘Wow,’ Maura says softly, ‘I had not realised you were going to go all out for this.’ 

‘Well,’ Jane says with a shy shrug, ‘its a New Years celebration.’ 

‘It is lovely, Jane. Thank you,’ Maura says sitting down at the seat beside Jane’s. 

‘You’re welcome Maur,’ Jane says with a dimpled smile, ‘given everything you’ve gone through in the last year, the work you’re doing, I just thought you deserved it. You deserve a new year and a new administration and new hope.’ 

‘I can drink to that,’ Maura says with a smile, lifting her wine glass to toast with Jane. They tap their glasses together and then take a sip. It was one of Maura’s favourites. She smiles at Jane, the kind gesture making Maura feel cared for and loved. Then they dig into an authentic Rizzoli lasagna. 

When they’re both pleasantly full, Jane clears the dishes away, refusing to let Maura help her. Then Jane comes back with a cheesecake. She doesn’t bring plates or a knife, just the cheesecake and two forks. Maura can’t help but to smile at that. It was a classic Jane Rizzoli move. Maura accepts the fork and takes the first bite. She hums happily as the velvet chocolate melts on her mouth. Jane chuckles as she takes a bite of her own. 

’This,’ Maura says taking a sip of her wine to wash down the cheesecake, ‘was a pretty great way to start a new year.’ 

‘It’s almost perfect,’ Jane agrees. There’s something in her tone that tells Maura she’s got more to say so Maura waits. Jane fidgets, pushing some of the cheesecake crumbs about with her fork, ‘you said that you wanted a New Years kiss and if that’s still a thing you want, I wanted… I mean…’ Jane’s cheeks are glowing a bright red, ‘obviously, I don’t want to imply… I just… a kiss on New Years is a tradition… and I don’t want to deprive you of tradition….’ When it becomes clear that Jane’s rambling was done and she had nothing further to say Maura grins. 

‘A New Years kiss would be lovely, Jane,’ Maura says with a smile. 

‘Right,’ Jane says, setting her fork down, ‘I’ve, uh, never kissed a woman before.’ 

Maura chuckles setting her own fork down, ‘I assure you the mechanics are the same.’ 

‘Yeah,’ Jane says her fingers twisting at the table cloth, ‘but still. If I’m bad at it or whatever.’ 

Maura stands, ‘I hardly believe that is possible.’ 

‘I mean,’ Jane says her voice a pitchy squeak, ’it’s definitely possible. You know what they say about practice making-‘

Maura leans into Jane’s space silencing the woman. She holds her body just above Jane’s, the taller woman, leaning back in her seat, their lips naturally aligning. She can smell the mix of chocolate and wine on Jane’s breath, ‘Jane?’ 

‘Yeah Maur?’ Jane asks, her eyes darting from Maura’s lips to her eyes and back to her lips again. 

‘You do not have to do this,’ Maura whispers softly, her hand coming up to brush Jane’s hair back. ‘Not if you do not want to.’ 

‘I know,’ Jane whispers in reply. Then Jane is tugging her head down, their lips meeting in a feverish clash. Maura can hardly believe how hungry their first kiss is. There’s a heady mix of desire and the distinct reality that this could be the only kiss she’d ever share with Jane that made Maura bold. She stroke’s Jane’s lower lip with the tip of her tongue. She wraps Jane’s hair around her hand, twisting to bring Jane closer without hurting her. And they kiss, fervently, longingly, until the need for air forces them apart. 

‘I wanted to,’ Jane replies breathily. 

Amber eyes find Maura’s and Maura knows. It was a New Year. A New Year full of new found hope and Maura was going to make the most of it. Starting first and foremost with a second kiss from Jane. 


End file.
